The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-26
WRECKED.
STEAMER SCOTIA BEACHED


French steamer Scotia is ashore near
Blue Point Station. l.. l.. fifteen miles
east of here. The life saving people have
got line to her. but owing to the heavy
surf have not been able to do anything
in the way Of taking of the passengers.
She has one Thousand Italian immigrants
ON board. The Scotia is a screw brig
rugged st teamer, 325 feet in length,
20 feet i'm breadth and % feet in depth
She was built at Leith, Scotland. in 1881.
and is owned by Cyprien. Fabreolo &
Co.. Of Marseillles.
New YORK, March 25.-The passen-
gers on the stranded steamer Scotia had
from the French steamer Burgundia,
which was damaged in a collision with
the man-Of-war Italia as she was leav-
ing Naples on February Il. Her cargo
consists Of Italian produce. The agent
Of the Fabre line i'm this city has received
a dispatch from Capt. Ruffet, of the
wrecked steamer, stating that the pas
sengers were all safe and would be sent
on to New York tomorrow. The vessel
was resting easy. The agent thought
that Capt. Ruffet had beached the vessel
to save the lives of her passengers. The
steamer has been chartered to bring the
Scotia's passengers into port. The Mer-
ritt Wrecking Co. s officials say that their
latest information is that the life saving
people have line to the ship, but that
none Of the passengers have been taken
of vet. The wind is of shore and the
sea is rough. The boats that were
started to-day will not reach the wreck
until early tomorrow morning.
PArcHOGUE. n. ", March 25.-At
daylight, when Captain Jones and his
crew OF life savers attempted to throw a
line to the Scotia, and later when an ef
fort was made to launch a life-boat to
reach her. the surf rolled mountain
high, and the wind blew hurricane.
Within two hours a moderate breeze and
a quieter sea permitted the launching of
a boat and an approach to the steamer.
The vessel lies with her nose in the sand
headed northeast.
Captain Ruffet behaved nobly, re-
manning almost continually on the
bridge during the wreck. Yesterday the
lead was thrown frequently. and last
night, when the soundings indicated
proximity to the beach and the storm
not abating. while the vessel strained and
tossed. he decided to beach her, and in or
der to keep her more steady, he ordered
the cutting away Of the masts- At
8 O'Clock this evening the Scotea was
lying easy i'm about two fathoms Of water.
two hundred feet from the shore. and
was working in though the pounding
of the rising tide. 1t has been impOssi-
BILE as vet to obtain any statement from
the Captain or officers. The life saving
crew with their life boats have succeeded
in landing one hundred passengers on
the beach. but late in the afternoon,
orders were received from New York to
keep the passengers aboard until the ar
rival of barges. which had been des-
patched for during the afternoon.
The passengers are very anxious to get
ashore as they complain of the treatment
accorded them by the Captain and Off
GERS, saying that they have had scarcely
any food for some time past, and have
had to pay for water to drink. The ves-
sci is leaking. and the pumps are kept
continually working to clear her Of
water. The wrecking tug I. j. Merritt
arrived about 4:3O p. m.. and, although
unable to 20 alongside the steamer, is
anchored near by in readiness to render
assistance il needed. Mr.. Elwell, the
representative of the New York agents
OF the Cyprian. Fabre & Co.'S Line, ar
rived this evening with an interpreter.
and will take care Of the passengers on
shore. The weather continues fine, and
a quiet sea prevails. There are no appre-
tensions entertained as to the safety Of
the vessel and her passengers during the
night. 1t is expected that the passen-
gers will all be taken of in the barges,
which will convey them to New York
tomorrow morning.